Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo: History, Secrets & Mummification Techniques

Discover the unique history of the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo.
From the accidental discovery of naturally mummified bodies to sophisticated embalming techniques, a journey into the world's most evocative museum of death.

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo originated in the 16th century as a cemetery for the friars of the convent.
Their history changed radically in 1599 when, upon exhuming 45 bodies from a mass grave, the friars found them miraculously preserved, naturally mummified.
Interpreted as a divine sign, this event led to the decision to display the bodies in niches, starting a tradition that would transform the cemetery.
From 1783, burial was extended to wealthy laypeople who could afford the embalming process to grant their loved ones a form of immortality and the chance to be "visited" The techniques were perfected over time: the main method was natural dehydration in the "colatoi" (strainers), where bodies were eviscerated and left to dry for almost a year.During epidemics, arsenic baths were used.
The cemetery officially closed in 1880, but it made two final exceptions, including the body of little Rosalia Lombardo in 1920.
Artificially embalmed by Dr. Alfredo Salafia, her body is so perfectly preserved that she is nicknamed the "world's most beautiful mummy" an eternal symbol of this extraordinary place.